Every other person in the media that I've read or heard has given AJ credit for a heads-up play to run to first since he never heard the ump call him out and he thought the ball was in the dirt. But get a load of this pile of crap from Bill Plashke in the LA Times:

 

Would any of this have happened if Pierzynski weren't one of the game's biggest irritants? A guy who probably ran to first base not just to win a game, but because it involved the added bonus of ticking somebody off?

 

This is a guy who was ripped by his frormer Minnesota Twin teammates as being divisive, a guy who was called a "cancer" by some of his former San Francisco Giant teammates.

 

A guy who, in spring training, offered teammates $100 to hit a homer against the Giants' Brett Tomko, reportedly one of the guys who ripped him.

 

Pierzynski will mess with you. And on this night, smart enough to sense a shred of doubt, he found a way to mess with a hyped-up catcher and an overmatched umpire.

 

"We found a way to win," Crede said Thursday.

 

Rather, amid the perfect storm, winning found them.

 

The perfect storm refers to a 3rd string catcher, a novice umpire and a "smirking batter" aka, AJ, coming together at the wrong time. I'm sure he was running to first to piss someone off, not to win the game. Plaschke has amazing insight.

 

Here's his email:

 

bill.plaschke@latimes.com

I've seen this guy on some TV shows and he doesn't merit my attention.

I'm just really surprised that so few media people can go beyond the lazy commentary and see that the Sox still had to steal a base and get a hit off of Escobar to win that game. To these dopes it's as if AJ rounded the bases while the Angels were grabbing batting helmets.

Every other person in the media that I've read or heard has given AJ credit for a heads-up play to run to first since he never heard the ump call him out and he thought the ball was in the dirt. But get a load of this pile of crap from Bill Plashke in the LA Times:

The perfect storm refers to a 3rd string catcher, a novice umpire and a "smirking batter" aka, AJ, coming together at the wrong time. I'm sure he was running to first to piss someone off, not to win the game. Plaschke has amazing insight.

 

Here's his email:

 

bill.plaschke@latimes.com

 

I take Bill's article as a compliment. AJ is the type of players whom you love to have but hate to play against.

AJ running to first base is exactly the type of thing... we hired AJ for.

 

You're right: this has turned into an all-out whinefest. Enough already.

I've seen this guy on some TV shows and he doesn't merit my attention.

I'm just really surprised that so few media people can go beyond the lazy commentary and see that the Sox still had to steal a base and get a hit off of Escobar to win that game. To these dopes it's as if AJ rounded the bases while the Angels were grabbing batting helmets.

 

I was watching the NC State game last night and the commentator mentioned the point about it wasn't the call, it was the subsequent stolen base and double the scored the winning run. He also ripped on ESPN (which was really odd considering the NC State game was on ESPN) for going overboard with showing the pitch.

I love AJ more and more each day.

And he does not even do good research.

 

I do not remember AJ being divisive with the Twins, he was traded mostly because of Mauer, not because of any bad things that happened.

 

He didnt get the rap until San Fran, and it was mostly because of Tomko.

 

SB

I take Bill's article as a compliment.  AJ is the type of players whom you love to have but hate to play against.

 

lol yeah thats the way i took it too. you're just jealous YOUR team doesnt have him dips***!

Fans here in Chicago love A.J. I expect KW to sign him to a 3 year extension after the season. And who says Polish people were dumb? That was the most brilliant thing I have ever seen a baseball player do for this town! THANK YOU A.J.! I will eat a peirogi for you tonite!!

The fans and players in Minny would definatley want him back. They traded him because of Mauer, and alot of the fans have expressed wanting him back. Not only that, but AJP is still pretty close to alot of his teamates from those teams.

Yeah AJP is loved from the twins fans and really he is probably the only player they like who is on our team now lol.... He had a couple of problems in San Fran wasnt Herges or whatevr his name one of the pitchers 2 but he apologized.... still he has been great here although I miss Olivo

I know what the writer means. Pierzinski is certainly the one guy everyone would vote most likely to pull the hidden ball trick on somebody, but I don't see it as a bad thing. All of the smallball, execution, opportunitistic play, and run manufacturing that we have counted on, and were overmatched with in game 1...all that turned full circle on A.J.'s heads-up play. We were upset that the Angels had the Sox number executionwise, but A.J. turned that table completely around in that one instant. I love it.

 

SFF

Edited October 14, 200520 yr by SpringfieldFan

"still he has been great here although I miss Olivo "

 

Are you serious? Sure Olivo was a great guy, but that Olivo and Reed for Garcia was the best thing that happened to this team. We get a solid starter, and then we go out and sign a solid catcher.

 

Lets see- Olivo and Schoenweise or A.J. and Garcia... hmmm

He's such a cancer that it appears the whole Sox team loves him. At least its AJ that the media is attacking, because he seems like the last person in the world to let it effect any more than giving him a few extra laughs while sitting around with buddies drinking a beer.

 

And he does not even do good research.

 

I do not remember AJ being divisive with the Twins, he was traded mostly because of Mauer, not because of any bad things that happened.

 

He didnt get the rap until San Fran, and it was mostly because of Tomko.

 

SB

Well... No, he did have something of a rep before the Giants. It doesn't matter now, and it's got nothing to do with that play...I'm just sayin.

He's such a cancer that it appears the whole Sox team loves him.  At least its AJ that the media is attacking, because he seems like the last person in the world to let it effect any more than giving him a few extra laughs while sitting around with buddies drinking a beer.

 

 

I tell you one thing. If that was any other Sox player instead of Pierzynski, he would have walked back to the dugout. AJ is the ONLY batter that possesses the presence of mind to do that kind of stuff. When he was running furiously to 1B while all of the Angels players were walking back to the dugout, I found that picture very funny but inspiring.

 

Here was the player dashing to 1B like a mad man and who didn't give a damn to what other players or TV viewers thought of him. All that was in his mind was trying to get his team another chance to win the game!

 

Here's to you AJ!

I tell you one thing.  If that was any other Sox player instead of Pierzynski, he would have walked back to the dugout. 

 

 

you mean like A-Row right before AJ came up?

I tell you one thing.  If that was any other Sox player instead of Pierzynski, he would have walked back to the dugout.  Here's to you AJ!     

 

I agree. He mentioned the reverse happened to him when he was in San Fran and that was why he ran. Like he said in the papers yesterday, what was the worst that would happen - the ump say you're out, go back to the dugout?

Well...  No, he did have something of a rep before the Giants.  It doesn't matter now, and it's got nothing to do with that play...I'm just sayin.

He had a rep of being an asshole basically because of the way he plays the game, he was a leader with the Twins though as well. I love aj, I hope he's around for a long, long time.

He had a rep of being an asshole basically because of the way he plays the game, he was a leader with the Twins though as well.  I love aj, I hope he's around for a long, long time.

He certainly had a reputation for getting on the other team's nerves. I know there were some times when Sox announcers made comments beyond that just after he left the Twins. You may have better knowledge. Anyway, it has less than nothing to do with this play. 'What a jerk, to try to take first.' Huh? It's better to write a nothing, fluff column than some non sequiter like that.

you mean like A-Row right before AJ came up? 

I was upset at Arow. Its the playoffs, run. It just so happened the very next AB the same situation came up and this time AJ ran. Turned out good for the Sox.

I love AJ more and more each day.

 

Me too.

But this guy and the Angels fans are right. I'm sure Scoscia would have run out there and had his guy go back to the dugout and sit down had they done the same thing. I'm also sure that if they did the same thing, the fans would be pissed at their guy for helping out the team like that.

But this guy and the Angels fans are right. I'm sure Scoscia would have run out there and had his guy go back to the dugout and sit down had they done the same thing. I'm also sure that if they did the same thing, the fans would be pissed at their guy for helping out the team like that.

 

You know what's funny Gleason? That's exactly what some Cubs fans were advocating. They said if the Cubs did that, they would have considered not only the win is not legitimate but the entire pennant as well! They would have preferred playing the nineth inning again! Have you ever seen a bunch of self-pity FAT LIARS in your life?

You know what's funny Gleason?  That's exactly what some Cubs fans were advocating.  They said if the Cubs did that, they would have considered not only the win is not legitimate but the entire pennant as well!  They would have preferred playing the nineth inning again!  Have you ever seen a bunch of self-pity FAT LIARS in your life? 

 

Cub fans are all just a bunch of dickheads...there's no disputing that fact.